As consumers' tastes evolve and environmental concerns grow, the produce industry is preparing for another year of transformation in 2025. Industry insiders and data experts are already forecasting the trends that will shape shopping baskets, from increased interest in sustainability to social media’s influence on consumers.
The Packer and Produce Market Guide spoke with data survey companies, grocers and produce suppliers, each identifying the trends they think will define the upcoming year. Together, their insights paint a picture of where produce is headed — and what it means for retailers, suppliers and shoppers alike.
1. Food as medicine
While the concept of food as medicine is far from new — the quote “Let food be thy medicine and medicine be thy food,” is credited to Hippocrates — interest in the movement continues to gain traction as younger consumers increasingly turn to fruits and vegetables for health benefits. Curious Plot, a marketing, communications and consulting agency representing clients in the food and agriculture sectors weighed in on the topic.
Earlier this year, Curious Plot published its second annual "Consumer Curiosity Report," an analysis of consumers nationwide most likely to set the next food trends. The study explores these more than 800 early food adopters' curiosities about culinary, nutrition and sustainability topics, all to help food marketers better prepare to take advantage of future trends.
Cristie Mather, vice president of food for Curious Plot, says produce marketers should take note of the essential role fruits and vegetables play in this trend.
“Our report uncovered that younger audiences are increasingly interested in foods that support health and wellness — and this provides a tremendous opportunity for produce marketers to confidently speak to younger generations about brain health, gut health and immune support in ways that were previously reserved for older generations,” said Mather, who said the report also shows:
- 67% of all respondents said they are very or extremely curious about foods with cognitive benefits, with 72% of millennials and 61% of Generation Z showing high curiosity.
- 69% said they are very or extremely curious about foods that improve gut health, with 70% of millennials and 63% of Gen Z expressing high curiosity.
- 68% said they are very or extremely curious about immunity-boosting foods, including 68% of millennials and 57% of Gen Z.
2. Simplicity with a side of affordability
“Even our most food-forward-thinking consumers crave simple and affordable meal and snack solutions,” Mather said. For the second year, the "Consumer Curiosity Report" showed respondents ranked “Easy (Under 30 Minutes) Meals” as their top curiosity for the year ahead.
New this year, Mather said, respondents consistently listed “Tips for Eating on a Budget” as a top curiosity, with 73% of early adopters planning to seek new ways to stretch their grocery and restaurant dollars. Despite contracting budgets, however, they don’t want to give up on ways to broaden their culinary experiences, Mather said of the report showing:
- 71% of respondents said they are either very or extremely curious about new ways to prepare vegetables.
- 65% said they are very or extremely curious about global/cultural flavors.
- 59% said they are either very or extremely curious about new ways to prepare fruits.
3. Produce’s leading role in the Ozempic era
Of the respondents in the "Consumer Curiosity Report," Mather says 40% have either used a GLP-1 weight management medication (Ozempic, Semaglutide, etc.) or are curious about trying it the year ahead, compared to 30% who have no interest and 30% who are not yet familiar with GLP-1 medications.
“This is dramatic awareness and interest in medication that was barely registering with consumers two years ago. This is certainly a place for produce to play,” Mather said. “Produce marketers can take a lead role in showcasing how fruits and vegetables are delicious options for GLP-1 participants. Colorful, delicious, high satiety, low calorie — fruits and vegetables can play the starring role.
“For someone on GLP-1 medications, medical professionals recommend a colorful variety of produce along with lean protein and whole grains as key foods to help maintain their health," Mather said of the correlation between GLP-1 participants and produce’s role in the trend. "GLP-1 medications curb hunger, so folks who use them eat less and feel full faster and for longer. If the size of the plate is essentially shrinking for these folks, then what appears on the plate is more important than ever. This is the key opportunity for produce to shine as not only a nutrient-rich option, but also one that adds delicious flavor, pleasing textures and beautiful colors to the plate.”
4. The conscious consumer
Driven by an increased focus on health, sustainability and ethical sourcing, conscious consumers are reshaping the produce industry, says Ten Acre Marketing, an agency that positions brands to advance agriculture.
“The most trendy consumer behavior is the speed in which consumers are changing their behavior," Mary Heslep, senior vice president for Ten Acre Marketing, said of the conscious consumer trend. "Consumers are living — and shopping — in a constantly ‘on’ environment of content. Gaining and keeping their attention as a brand takes innovation, creativity and foresight."
And consumers are becoming more engaged with the health benefits of their products, she said.
"They don't want to be told what's healthy for them, as they're still independent shoppers, but they do want to learn how to incorporate health benefits into the foods they already love," Heslep said. "Produce marketers will make more headway with consumers by introducing inclusive products that pair well with some not-so-healthy choices, easing consumers into lifestyle changes they can maintain."
With consumer attention spans getting shorter, it's no surprise that shopping behaviors and preferences are changing rapidly based on the changing environment around them, Heslep said.
"Social media coaches consumers to adopt new algorithms frequently, introducing behavior change subconsciously," she said. "Consumer behavior is happening to them in most cases and marketers need to be aware and ahead in order to keep consumers engaged.
“Convenience items need to meet the speed of which consumers expect to enjoy food," Helsep continued. "Produce companies need to explore ways to innovate their products or the way in which they present existing products to consumers to exploit the convenience of fresh fruit and vegetables.”
5. Sustainability and eco-friendly packaging
As sustainability continues to trend, the produce industry is prioritizing eco-friendly packaging solutions, responding to consumer demand for reduced waste and environmentally responsible practices, FullTilt Marketing predicts.
FullTilt Marketing is a full-service marketing agency serving the agriculture and fresh foods market, specializing in the intersection of consumer and agricultural storytelling and market promotion to enhance consumer education and brand awareness.
“There’s no doubt that consumers have been focused on sustainability with growing consumer demand in this space since at least 2019," said Melinda Goodman, president for FullTilt Marketing. "What started mostly as a call to do better, moved toward more sustainable packaging and is now starting to show up in key conversations around soil health, habitat conservation, carbon footprint and ethical sourcing.
The difficult reality for consumers is being able to understand and quantify the truth of sustainability in real-time at point of purchase, she explains.
"It’s one thing to bury our messages on a website or in a sustainability report or make a few social media posts, but consumers need a way to make decisions at point of purchase,” Goodman said. “That’s where we will start to see more carbon footprint marketed on packaging as consumers and global brands support the ideals of carbon neutrality, especially as new rules take effect in 2026 in Europe. Here in the U.S., we are already seeing a variety of companies coming out with carbon neutral food products including beef from Forward Farms, private-label/co-branded eggs from Kroger, a variety of wines, brews, snacks and beverages, not to mention Del Monte’s carbon-neutral pineapple for the European market."
Goodman says there isn’t a one-and-done win for sustainability, and the bar will continue to move.
"Companies will need to determine where they stand on sustainability, not just as a necessary objective, but as a clear marketing tool to help consumers make informed choices at store," she said. "Then, use that information to build a brand story that is clear and concise for consumers.”
6. Social media driving new usage
With social media inspiring new culinary trends daily, platforms like Instagram and TikTok are fueling creative ways to use produce.
“Several categories in the last year have seen volume sales gains with little to no ad support or in-store marketing. Much of their success stems from online influencers demonstrating new ways to use these products," said Darren Seifer, industry adviser for consumer goods and foodservice insights at Circana, a company that provides data, analytics and technology to help brands and retailers understand consumer behavior. "Examples of this can be seen in cottage cheese, grapes and cucumbers, all of which saw viral posts with alternative ways to prepare them. Expect to see more of this in additional categories, especially with Gen Zers who are most likely to get food ideas from TikTok.”
7. Value-added timesavers
As busy lifestyles continue to drive demand, value-added timesavers like pre-cut, pre-washed and ready-to-cook produce options are gaining popularity, Seifer says.
“These are produce items that are pre-sliced or have another time-saving component, that often garner a higher price," he said. "Consumers increasingly see the value of these products to help with an influx of home-prepared meals since they are cutting back on foodservice occasions.”
8. Growing shopper demand for organic
A rising focus on health and natural ingredients shows consumers’ demand for organic produce to continue its growth, says Bil Goldfield, director of corporate communications for Dole Food Co., Charlotte, N.C.
“One very obvious trend we’re seeing is accelerated growth in organic, which is fast becoming a mainstream consumer preference. The organic market continues to expand in both volume and dollar sales, and Dole’s organic offerings, led by bananas and pineapples, is also expanding," he said. "Demand for both fruits continues to grow as the percentage of Dole’s total organic fruit business increases. This is evident in the share of the produce department footprint devoted to organic bananas, pineapples and other organic fruits and vegetables.”
In September as part of a larger National Organic Month effort, Dole initiated a dedicated marketing program touting the benefits of organic to Gen Y, Gen Z and baby boomer consumers in more than a dozen U.S. markets that over-index in organic consumption, Goldfield said.
One of Dole’s largest organic-specific marketing efforts in years, the digital, social and PR program launched Sept. 9 and continued through October.
“Our goal was to implement a series of localized social and digital trade and consumer ads focused on showcasing Dole’s 25 years of leadership growing organic produce and developing at-retail programs that communicate the health, sustainability and environmental benefits of organic bananas and pineapples," Goldfield said, adding that Dole specifically targeted both current and emerging organic shoppers in cities that have shown the highest propensity to purchase as well as recent demographic changes leading to shifting organic fresh fruit and vegetable buying and consumption habits across the country.
“As one of many examples of this trend, Dole’s category development team documented that a properly merchandised in-store Dole organic banana program can generate up to 15% more in dollar sales than conventional banana programs alone," he said.
Goldfield says Dole’s expanded organic produce outreach efforts reflect consumers’ constantly evolving expectations.
“More than ever, today’s shoppers possess a growing interest in natural foods and want to support the brands that align with their values," he said. "Expanding our organic and fair-trade products messaging has become essential to engaging the now-sizable percentage of socially and environmentally conscious shoppers who continue to fuel growth in fresh produce — not just in emerging organic markets but nationally and even globally.”
9. Bananas as an inflationary budget-stretcher
Goldfield said Dole’s research shows that fresh fruits and vegetables continue to play a key role in helping U.S. consumers stretch their food budgets during sustained times of higher food prices as they strive to provide their families with nutritious, satisfying meals.
“This is especially true of bananas, which have maintained their amazing value during and since the pandemic more than most produce and other foods,” Goldfield said.
“Convenient, economical, nutrient-packed, naturally sweet, just the right size for kids’ lunches and offering their own bio-degradable packaging, bananas are practically the perfect food," he added. "In fact, bananas are consistently one of the top-selling items sold across all items in grocery stores throughout North America with upwards of 90% household penetration with versatile and practical usages in breakfasts, smoothies, snacks, desserts, baked goods, sauces and alternatives to sugar and eggs in many other sweet and savory recipes."
As the produce industry heads into 2025, trends like sustainability, convenience and health-conscious choices are set to shape the way consumers enjoy fruits and vegetables. By evolving to these consumer demands, the industry can not only meet these needs but pave the way for a more sustainable and innovative future in fresh produce.
10. Glamour on the produce aisle
Luxury items such as the vibrant Sapūrana mango or the decadent Oishii strawberry captivate consumers with their price tags, unique offerings, gift giving appeal, compelling backstories and sheer indulgence, leading The Packer to choose luxury produce as its 2025 trend. These fruits make eating a special occasion and inspire a growing consumer appetite for products beyond the ordinary.
The Sapūrana mango has grown in popularity in recent years and Robert Schueller, director of public relations for Melissa’s Produce, says mangoes are the No. 2 fruit globally. As part of its luxury fruit line, Melissa’s Produce has Sapūrana mangoes to offer consumers an elevated mango experience.
“One of the newest fruits into the U.S., the Sapūrana mango has a creamy flesh with highlights of sweet honey and hints of lemon,” Schueller said, calling it “the perfect mango.”
Oishii’s Koyo strawberry is another luxury item. The Koyo Berry — meaning “elated” in Japanese — was introduced in February 2023 and is marked by its rich red hue, refreshing sweetness, balanced acidity and firm texture, the company says.
Of the exotics and niche/luxury produce trends, Goldfield says Dole’s research shows the trend continuing.
“We are seeing the mainstreaming of exotics and other niche varieties of fresh fruits and vegetables,” he said. “Our research shows that today’s consumers are significantly more likely to want to add produce variety to their meals and daily routines than previous generations — a trend based at least in part on the growing popularity of recipes and culinary themes on social media, especially TikTok, and TV and podcast cooking shows.
“While demand for Dole’s Cavendish bananas and pineapples continues strong, there exists a simultaneous desire for plantains, manzanos and red and baby banana varieties,” Goldfield said. “Mangoes, pitaya (dragon fruit), chayote and other visually captivating and nutritionally rich varieties that tend to occupy a smaller footprint in the produce section have also seen an increase in interest and purchases.”
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